MEMS firm to show 'refocus' lens at MWC

LONDON – PoLight AS (Horten, Norway), a vendor of optical MEMS actuated autofocus lenses, has announced that its tunable lens actuator can now be used with "touch and refocus" software that can be supplied to mobile phone manufacturers.

This rapid autofocus capability of the TLens allows multiple images to be taken at different depths of focus and stored in parallel with the main image. These images can then be post-processed in various ways.

By touching the area where to focus on the smart phone screen, a newly-generated picture can be shown at full sensor resolution. Alternatively, it is possible to get the image "all in focus" so that both close-up and far away objects in the scene are all in focus.

The company claims that its autofocus has a response time that is 20 times faster than voice-coil motor (VCM) operated autofocus systems while consuming 1/40 of the power. This allows the offer of continuous autofocus during video. PoLight's applications are set to be demonstrated at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona from Feb 25 to 28.